From our heads to your Internet

Going places

For years now, Google has been taking over the Internet. We all search the net with Google, map with Google Maps, chat with Gchat, mail with Gmail, and to a lesser degree, share documents and blog with them. Some of us even us them for their browser, and a few of us already have them as the operating system on our smartphones (I’m sticking with Apple’s stubborn OS for now). There are few phones that already use their Android operating system, and many more already confirmed to be on the way. It seems pretty clear that Google is trying to take over the mobile communications market, but an interesting announcement today suggests that companies are looking to put Android in new, non-cellphone / netbook devices. San Francisco-based Touch Revolution plans on putting the operating system in all kinds of nifty devices, like touch-screen remotes, home-use VOIP phones and HVAC control units. The company regards the open-source, Linux-based OS as the best option for their upcoming devices, as it’s a lightweight system that’s easily customizable, and works well with touchscreen interfaces. I’m really liking the idea of our future homes, controlled by all these nifty devices, being based on open-source software. The less that we have to spend on the big old operating systems Microsoft, and to a lesser extent Apple, are charging us (and developers) for, the better.